Automatic tramway-point.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904* w v fixlill v m d a w/ I \N /m M Z3 M a wmww R. H. RADPORD.

AUTOMATIC TRAMWA-Y POINT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD HEBER RADFORD, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC TRAMWAY-POINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 764,007, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed September 5, 1902. Serial No. 122,272. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD HEBER RAD- FORD, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of 15 St. J amess Row, in the city of Sheflield, in the county of York, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Tramway- Points, (for whichI have filed an application for a patent in Great Britain, No. 2,935, bearing date February 5, 1902,) of which the'following is a specification.

A utomatic points commonly in use on streetrailways and tramways are opened as a car or other tramway-vehicle passes in one direction by the flanges of the wheels of the said vehicle as they roll between the rail and the tongue of the point, compressing a powerful spring in the opposite side of 'the tongue, which spring by its reaction when the wheels have passed through the point causes the tongue to fiy back with violent percussion against the rail, thereby causing considerable noise.

The object of my invention is to lessen the noise so produced, which object I effect in the following manner.

The nature of my invention will be better understood on reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of my improved point. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3is a crosssection, of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the movable tongue. Fig. 5 is a plan, and Fig. 6 is a cross-section, of the same.

The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Along the side of the rail or along the side of the point-box (4 against which the tongue 5 of the point is laid when closed I form a recess of the shape and size of the side of the tongue or a part of it, so that when the tongue is forced into its closed position by the spring 0 from its opposite side one side or a part of one side 6 of the tongue 6 lies for a certain depth Within this recess. Thus when the tongue has been opened by the wheel of a passing tramway-vehicle and again closed by the reaction of the spring 0 the tongue instead of flapping violently against the side of the rail has first to displace the air in the recess, which forms an elastic cushion between the tongue and the rail and deadens or lessens the noise which would otherwise be produced.

The projecting part 6, which by preference would be formed on the tongue and made to fit into the recess on the rail or side of the point-box, may be forged or made solid on the tongue, or it may be formed separately and afterward secured to the side of the tongue by set-screws or rivets or their equivalents.

When the tongue or the tongue and its projecting face is too large to allow of its being dropped into position in the point-box, I make a portion of the rail a, as shown between the dotted lines a and f, Fig. 1, in the form of a movable fillet, so that it may be taken out. The projecting face of the tongue may then be placed in the recess in the fillet, when they (the tongue and the fillet) may together be placed in position and secured.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In an automatic tramway-switch a rail or the like havinga recess with parallel opposing walls and a movable switch-point having a portion adapted to enter therein and fit said walls so snugly as to form an air-cushion substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

RIOHA RD HEBER RADFORD.

IVitnesses:

REGINALD H. RADEoRD, W. H. BAIRSTO. 

